Device and Method for Managing the Strategy to Join Waypoints

Abstract

A device for managing strategies to join waypoints of a flight plan for a flight management system comprises: a typing module operating on an item of input data comprising an input waypoint with which is associated at least one operational requirement, for associating with the said item of data at least one typed waypoint comprising an output waypoint and an associated type, the type being determined from a database of types of waypoints, a module for determining strategy to join a typed waypoint, coupled with the typing module, for matching the said type with at least one associated joining strategy from a database of joining strategies.

1 . A device for managing strategies to join waypoints of a flight plan for a flight management system of an aircraft comprising:
 a typing module operating on an item of input data comprising an input waypoint with which is associated at least one operational requirement, the said typing module associating with the said item of data at least one typed waypoint comprising an output waypoint and an associated type, the type corresponding to the way in which the aircraft must fly through the output waypoint and being determined from a database of types of waypoints,   a module for determining strategy to join a typed waypoint, coupled with the typing module, the said determination module matching the said type with at least one associated joining strategy determined from a database of joining strategies,   a database of types of waypoint coupled with the typing module,   a database of joining strategies coupled with the module for determining joining strategy.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a type of typed waypoint furthermore comprises at least one additional parameter representing additional constraints. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a type is matched with a plurality of associated joining strategies, a joining strategy being provided with a priority depending on values of parameters representing the functioning of the aircraft. 
     
     
         4 . A Flight Management System for an aircraft capable of computing a flyable flight path of the aircraft comprising the device for the management of joining strategies according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . The Flight Management System according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a module for formatting a flight plan, coupled with the typing module, generating a first list of input data comprising an input waypoint with which at least one operational requirement is associated and,   a module for constructing a flyable flight path, coupled with the device for managing joining strategies, computing and implementing a flyable flight path with a strategy to join a current waypoint onto which the aircraft is cleared, the said strategy being determined from joining strategies provided by the determination module and from a current state of the aircraft.   
     
     
         6 . A method for managing strategies to join waypoints of a flight plan executed by an aircraft, comprising the steps:
 loading the current state of the aircraft,   loading a typed waypoint comprising a waypoint and a type, a type depending on at least one operational requirement related to flight path constraints and corresponding to the way in which the aircraft must fly through the waypoint, the said point corresponding to the current typed waypoint onto which the aircraft is cleared,   determining a strategy to be used to join the loaded waypoint from the type of the loaded waypoint and from the current state of the aircraft,   implementing the said strategy determined in the preceding step,   checking when the loaded waypoint is reached,   identifying the next typed waypoint when the loaded waypoint is reached,   returning to the loading step with the next typed waypoint.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the initial steps:
 loading a first list of input data comprising an input waypoint and at least one associated operational requirement,   associating with each item of input data at least one typed waypoint comprising an output waypoint and a type using a database of types of waypoints, a type depending on at least one operational requirement related to flight path constraints,   generating a second list of typed waypoints from the said first list, and   wherein the loading step loads a point of the said second list corresponding to the current typed waypoint onto which the aircraft is cleared, and   wherein the step of determining the strategy to be used is carried out by matching the type of the loaded point with at least one associated strategy, using a database of strategies, then by selection of the strategy to be used from among the said associated strategies according to aircraft current state, and   wherein the next typed waypoint identified in the identification step is the next point in the second list.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the initial steps:
 loading a first list of input data comprising an input waypoint and at least one associated operational requirement,   associating with each item of input data at least one typed waypoint comprising an output waypoint and a type using a database of types of waypoints, a type depending on at least one operational requirement related to flight path constraints,   associating with each typed waypoint at least one joining strategy by matching the type of the said point with at least one associated strategy, using a database of strategies,   generating a third list comprising the said typed waypoints and for each of the points the said at least one associated joining strategy, and   wherein the loading step loads a point of the said third list corresponding to the current typed waypoint onto which the aircraft is cleared, and the said at least one associated joining strategy, and   wherein the step of determining the strategy to be used consists of selecting a strategy from among the at least one loaded associated strategy according to the current state of the aircraft, and   wherein the next typed waypoint identified in the identification step is the next point in the third list.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6  executed by a flight management system. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7  executed by a flight management system. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8  executed by a flight management system. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product, the said computer program comprising code instructions making it possible to carry out the steps of the method according to  claim 6 , when the said program is executed on a computer.